Gorkha Hospital overwhelmed; new mother undergoing treatment inside a tent

GORKHA, May 10: Patients affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are being treated outside the Gorkha Hospital as of Sunday evening. 

According to the hospital’s information officer, Krishna Dhakal, the patients arriving at the hospital are being treated in the courtyard and tents outside the hospital after the isolation ward containing only six beds was fully occupied. “Our capacity is six beds. In addition, we have two patients who are being treated in our emergency ward and one each inside the tent and the courtyard,” he added. 

A new mother from Siranchowk Rural Municipality is being treated inside the tent. The woman gave birth to her newborn child on April 27 and is being treated inside the tent after she was tested positive for COVID-19. According to the hospital, the new mother arrived two days ago and is being treated inside the tent with medical oxygen after her health condition started to deteriorate. 

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According to Dhakal, more than ten people from various villages call the hospital for a check-up. People who come for OPD check-ups are suffering from fever, and a majority of them have health problems. “The crowd has overwhelmed the hospital. We are treating the patients even in the courtyard with oxygen and medications,” Dhakal added. 

Most of the patients undergoing treatment are under the age of 50. The hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Shanti Bhurtel said that they are unable to add isolation beds in the hospital due to lack of space. “The hospital building is still under construction and has not been handed over yet. We are facing many problems at the moment,” Dr Bhurtel added. 

The hospital has stated that more patients could be treated if there was additional space to add beds. The Hospital is still being rebuilt and is under construction after it was leveled to the ground by the 2015 earthquakes. The hospital has not been able to provide a comfortable service due to the ongoing construction. 

As stated by the hospital Information Office, Krishna Dhakal, Gorkha Hospital currently has 45 oxygen cylinders, out of which 15 to 20 are sent to Chitwan for a refill on a daily basis.